TRANSLATE

Welcome to Our Parkinson's Place

I copy news articles pertaining to research, news and information for Parkinson's disease, Dementia, the Brain, Depression and Parkinson's with Dystonia. I also post about Fundraising for Parkinson's disease and events. I try to be up-to-date as possible. I have Parkinson's diseases as well and thought it would be nice to have a place where updated news is in one place. That is why I began this blog.

I am not responsible for it's contents, I am just a copier of information searched on the computer. Please understand the copies are just that, copies and at times, I am unable to enlarge the wording or keep it uniformed as I wish. This is for you to read and to always keep an open mind.

Please discuss this with your doctor, should you have any questions, or concerns. Never do anything without talking to your doctor. I do not make any money from this website. I volunteer my time to help all of us to be informed. Please no advertisers. This is a free site for all.

Thank you.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Doctors have produced the first evidence of deep brain stimulation's lasting effectiveness in a four-year study. The method could serve in the future as an optional therapy for critically ill patients, suggests a new report.

Treatment with deep brain stimulation can provide lasting relief to patients suffering from previously non-treatable, severe forms of depression several years into the therapy or even eliminate symptoms entirely. This is the finding of the first long-term study on this form of therapy, conducted by scientists at the Medical Center -- University of Freiburg. Seven of the eight patients receiving continuous stimulation in the study showed lasting improvements in their symptoms up to the last observation point four years into treatment. The therapy remained equally effective over the entire period. The scientists prevented minor side-effects from appearing by adjusting the stimulation. The study was published in the journal Brain Stimulation on 1 March 2017.

"Most of the patients respond to the therapy. The remarkable thing is that the effect is also lasting. Other forms of therapy often lose their effectiveness in the course of time. This makes deep brain stimulation a highly promising approach for people with previously non-treatable depression," says principal investigator Prof. Dr. Thomas Schläpfer, head of the Interventional Biological Psychiatry Unit at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the Medical Center -- University of Freiburg. Deep brain stimulation is a method based on mild electric impulses that can be used to influence selected brain regions with great precision.

Stimulation Takes Effect from the First Month On

The eight test subjects had suffered continuously for three to eleven years from a severe depression that responded neither to drugs nor to psychotherapy or treatments like electroconvulsive therapy. The doctors implanted razor-thin electrodes and stimulated a brain region that is involved in the perception of pleasure and is thus also important for motivation and quality of life. The doctors evaluated the effect of the therapy each month with the help of the established Montgomery-Asberg Rating Scale (MARDS). The patients' average MARDS score fell from 30 points to 12 points already in the first month and even dropped slightly further by the end of the study. Four patients achieved a MARDS score of less then 10 points, the threshold for diagnosis of depression.

Some of the patients suffered briefly from blurred or double vision. "We managed to alleviate the side effects by reducing the intensity of the stimulation, without diminishing the antidepressant effect of the therapy," says Prof. Dr. Volker A. Coenen, head of the Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Unit at the Department of Neurosurgery of the Medical Center -- University of Freiburg. The doctors did not observe personality changes, thought disorders, or other side effects in any of the patients.

Larger Follow-Up Study Aims at Registration of Therapy in Europe

If a further five-year study with 50 patients currently underway at the Medical Center -- University of Freiburg confirms the effectiveness and safety of the therapy, Prof. Coenen sees the possibility of registering the therapy in Europe. This would allow the therapy to be used outside of studies: "In a few years, deep brain stimulation of this kind could be an effective treatment option for patients with severe depressions," says Prof. Coenen.

I
just began writing Poetry for my newest blog: "P0ETRY:LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE." It is mostly upbeat and sometimes funny. I hope you enjoy it.

I am a wife, mother and grandmother. I was diagnosed in 2004 by a Neurologist and a Neurologist- Movement
Specialist. Going back through my medical records, I had tremors since 1987. I
have dystonia of the feet and calves as well. In 2004, I had a major stroke and
was paralyzed on my left side. It took a year of Physical Therapy to regain 99%
back.

I feel strongly about
spreading the word about Parkinson's Disease as we travel throughout parts of
the United States. My husband Larry, married on August 2, 1966 to my best
friend.been married for 50 plus years. In 1967 he joined the Marine Corps as an enlisted Marine , then became a warrant officer 4 Selective and retired as a Capt serving over 22 years. ( A Mustang). I am fortunate to have the support of my family and friends. I also have a maltese named Spencer who is my Service dog.God has
truly blessed me and I am thankful. Parkinson's Awareness is important to
me. I continue to exercise, meditate and thank the Lord for each day. God Bless our military and their families. God Bless the USA. Semper Fi !

Medical Disclaimer

Medical Disclaimer

No advice

http://ourparkinsonsplace.blogspot.com contains general information about medical conditions and treatments. The information is not advice, and should not be treated as such. I have copied from organizations the information. This is put together strictly to read and you to talk to your medical doctor about. I search on the internet and copy and share the information on my site. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND I AM A PERSON WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE. I HAVE NO MEDICAL EDUCATION, I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I READ ON THE INTERNET. IT IS UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHETHER TO READ IT AND TALK IT OVER WITH YOUR DOCTOR. I AM JUST THE COPIER OF DOCUMENTS FROM THE COMPUTER. I DO NOT HAVE PROOF OF FACT OR FICTION OF THE INFORMATION.

as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on http://ourparkinsonsplace.blogspot.com

Limiting our liability

You agree not to hold us liable for any damages arising from or relating to your reliance on any of the medical information provided onAdditionally, you agree not to repeat the medical information that you read on http://ourparkinsonsplace.blogspot.comto a third party, as that third party may not have read this disclaimer and understood the caveats involved in receiving the information.

If you should repeat the medical information that you read on http://ourparkinsonsplace.blogspot.comto a third party, whether through writing, electronically, or orally, you agree that you will indemnify us and defend us against any claims for damages by that or any other third party which received its information as a result of your actions, either in whole or in part. In other words, if the third party you told the information to repeats it to another third party, you must indemnify us and defend us against claims made by either of those third parties.